1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vacuum apparatus for removing water or other liquids from a space, and, more particularly, to apparatus for lifting volumes of liquid with vacuum apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Most conventional vacuum cleaner machines can not lift water or other heavy liquids to typically above 29 to 30 inches above the liquid level being withdrawn. This is a problem with most households having such conventional machines. Most households have sinks or basins for receiving and draining water at about 35 inches or more above floor level. Such conventional cleaners include shop vacuums sometimes referred to as wet/dry vacuum machines, which are designed for use in shops, garages and basements and so on for vacuuming water off a floor. Water weighs about 8.34 lb/gal (1 kg/l). A wet shop vacuum machine typically may have a 5 gallon (21 l) capacity. When filled with water the water weighs 41.7 lb (19 kg) which is heavy for an average home maker to lift into a sink for emptying the contents without spilling.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,224 a portable vacuum cleaner attachment is disclosed which attaches to an end of a vacuum cleaner hose to remove and separate liquid, so the liquid does not enter the vacuum unit. Attached to the unit is a tank that stores liquid to be removed. A first inlet receives the vacuum and a second inlet receives the liquid at a nozzle. A deflector deflects the incoming liquid into the tank from the vacuum exhaust inlet inside the tank which vacuum sucks the liquid into the nozzle. This patent does not address the problem of using conventional wet vacuums and the heavy water load therein. The tank in this patent cannot be too large or else it presents the same problem of lifting a heavy liquid load. Thus this apparatus can only deal with small liquid volumes. Vents are provided to allow air flow into the vacuum unit.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,974,624 and 5,377,383 disclose a similar device with a passage that directs the stream along a path. They disclose a tank adjacent to the inlet nozzle which limits the volume of water that can be picked up. Neither patent discloses an apparatus that lifts water or other liquids in relatively long columns above the water level being removed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,881 discloses a universal vacuum cleaner and a relatively large tank that rolls on wheels over a floor. Lifting the full tank to empty it would be difficult. This system uses a cyclonic separator. This patent does not disclose lifting liquids in relatively long columns above the water lever being removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,009 discloses a carpet cleaning waste water disposal apparatus.
The present inventor recognizes a need for an apparatus that can be used with conventional vacuum machines and can be used to lift liquids at greater height columns than heretobefore known with conventional vacuum cleaners.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a wet attachment for a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum inlet. The attachment includes a fluid tank having a first chamber for receiving fluid in a fluid inlet. The tank has a vacuum inlet arranged to be attached to the vacuum inlet to apply a vacuum to the chamber. The attachment also includes at least one elongated fluid inlet conduit having a first end coupled to the tank fluid inlet and a second end for immersion in fluid to be conveyed to the chamber in response to the vacuum applied to the chamber. The conduit has an air inlet spaced from the first end medially the first and second end. The air inlet is responsive to the vacuum in the conduit from the chamber for drawing ambient atmosphere air into the conduit and for injecting the drawn ambient air into the conveyed fluid to form an assemblage wherein the air and fluid are spatially segregated into separate regions.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention an attachment is provided for a wet vacuum cleaner having a tank with a first chamber for applying a vacuum to and receiving fluid from a fluid inlet. The attachment includes at least one elongated fluid inlet conduit having a first end coupled to the tank fluid inlet and a second end for immersion in fluid to be conveyed to the chamber in response to the vacuum applied to the fluid inlet. The conduit has an air inlet spaced from the first end medially the first and second ends. The air inlet is responsive to the vacuum in the conduit from the fluid inlet for drawing ambient atmosphere air into the conduit and for injecting the drawn ambient air into the conveyed fluid to form an assemblage wherein the air and fluid are spatially segregated into separate regions.
In one embodiment, the at least one conduit is a tube with a longitudinal axis and a concave depression and the air inlet comprises an aperture in the depression lying in a plane inclined toward the longitudinal axis and toward the tank end of the at least one conduit.
In a further embodiment, the at least one conduit comprises an annular wall, the air inlet is an aperture in the wall, further including a shield attached to the at least one conduit in spaced relation to the wall forming a second chamber there between, the shield having opposing third and fourth ends on opposite sides of the air inlet with the third shield end being attached to the at least one conduit in a region between the air inlet and the at least one conduit second end so that the second chamber is water impervious between the at least one conduit second end and the shield third end.
In a further embodiment, the air inlet is a hole in the at least one conduit. In a further embodiment, the tank has a bottom wall and an annular side wall and at least one tube connected to the fluid inlet and extending medially the fluid inlet and bottom wall to limit the volume of fluid that can enter the first chamber.
In a further embodiment, the tank has a top wall, a bottom wall and an annular side wall forming the first chamber, the tank including an interior wall in the first chamber forming a channel with the side wall, the channel being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, the channel extending toward the bottom wall to limit the volume of fluid that can enter the first chamber.
In still other embodiments the far end of the conduit can be totally immersed in the fluid because an air inlet in the conduit is spaced a significant distance from the immersing fluid. Furthermore, the tank has means for limiting the fluid drawn into the tank to a predetermined level.
A window may be in the tank side wall for observing the amount of fluid in the tank